Morris tribune., 1887-07-06

CQ6S6 anu Tie luOuSdllU OGAlcIS WIZ
for various reasons, bad and good,
drift up and down the thoroughfares,
the saloons throw open wide their
doors. In thus ministering to GER
tain social wants Of the multiudes the
GIN shops have been left in almost en-
tire possession of the field. One might
walk for miles and miles i'll such
city as New Yogk, for example, with
out finding single place where he
could obtain rest, or food, or shelter
from storm, except in the saloons.
In these places Il little. money makes
a man welcome for Il time at least.
The saloons have made the most of
their advantage here, and to light,
warmth, shelter, ana companionship
have added their peculiar entlce-
ments to vice. Men who frequent
such places are inevitably drawn into
the drink habit and under the power
of other vicious influences, even
though their original motives in en-
tering them might have not been al
together censurable. 1t is easy
enough for those who have comfor-
table homes and plenty of means and
friends at command to say that men
should not visit the rum-shOps for
any purpose, should not for any
reasons put themselves within reach
of the temptations of the saloons.
But this does not do away with the
fact that tens of thousands are found
in such resorts every day, and that
they will continue to be found there
until something better is provided.
We are considering the purely practi-
cal features OF the question, the facts
of the case as they stand. We have
no apologies to offer for the existence
OF the drink traffic, or any excuses
for those who waste their substance
in riotous living. But in this matter
we can not stop to inquire closely in
to causes and motives. When men
are perishing in the waves Of the sea,
it is not for those who man the life
boats to inquire how and why the
danger came until the danger itself
is past. Whatever the reasons m ay
be, the fact before us is undeniable,
that thousands and tens Of thousands
of our fellowmen are constantly being
drawn down to death, and to what is
worse than death, through the de-
vices and subtle temptations Of the
saloon. Recognizing the accompany
ing fact, that these terrible results
are due In some real part to other at
fractions than those of drink, the
practical question arises, What can
be done to offset the saloons at these
points Of advantages; what can he
done towards satisfying in proper
and legitimate way the want in our
social system which the saloon in
some low degree seems to fill? Gne
rum power is every day being
weakened by the attacks made upon
political, moral and religious grounds
Attack it upon the social and
financial side, and the line of circum-
valuation is complete. Let so me-
thing be devised which shall take
the place of the saloon as resort for
the masses, with all its invitations
and enticements, except such as tend
to evil, making up for all that 1t lacks
of the features of the saloon, in honest
comfort, good cheer and real home
likeness, and the most difficult point
yet remaining in the problem of the
drink evil is solved. 1t is to meet
the want which we have thus out
lined that the coffee-house move
ment has been inaugurated. The idea
of the coffee-house is just what we
have been indicating, to take the
place of the saloon az public resort,
to compete against the liquor shops
and draw away their patronage 10y
offering larger and better returns for
the money. The present movement
in this country, which owes its initia-
tive to Mr.. Friedrich Gore, a former
editor of the London Coffee House
News, has already attracted q large
amount of public attention. Steps
have been takea in this city looking
to the formation of a stock company
and the early introduction ola coffee
house system. The English coffee
house, as it is known to-day, origina.
ted in suggestion made by Mr.
Moody while engaged in evengelistic
work among the workingmen OF
Liverpool about twelve years ago
The evangelist there saw and called
attention to the need of public resorts
which should help to draw working
men and the poorer classes away
from the rum-shops. Acting on the
hint. a company was formed and q
system Of coffee-houses established.
The business was financial success
from the beginning; there are now
sixty-one coffee houses in Liverpool,
paying a yearly dividend of ten per
cent. on invested capital. From
Liverpool the movement spread
throughout England. and nearly all
the large cities and many of the small
Ter towns now have coffee houses.
In London the coffee-house idea
has taken the form of the cocoa
room, managed under what is known
az. the. Lockhaft" system. In these
cocoa-rooms food and drink of excel
lent quality are sold at prices which